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Hi Mole. Most of it will be taking your medical and family medical history. They'll then just do basic things like examine you, calculate your BMI, take Blood pressure. There shouldn't be anything more invasive than that unless their is anything positive in your history that they want to take further.
Good Luck!
x

I'm going for my medical a week on Thursday, so will be able to let you know after that. The form's changed a little since April, and we had to fill in a section of questions and send them back to the SW for them to send on to our GPs. If you want to know the questions that are on there, let me know and I'll drop you a pm. Good luck xxx

PS, DHs GP is chargin £95.00 and mine is charging £70.00, I think it depends on individual surgeries and how much they want to fleece you

Hello we're just starting the adoption journey-do u still have the medical questions? Would you be able to PM it to me too please?
Also, will my GP tell the adoption people when I last had ivf? I haven't been entirely honest with them about when my last attempt was (it was last year) but my GP knows because he let me do some tests on the nhs
Thanks
HSE x

Hi guys. I'm on my mobile at the moment. Not had a minute to myself with all the Christmas stuff. I've kept absolutely everything from start to finish in a lever arch file. I'll sit down with the laptop in the next few days and pm all the questions to you. Your gp has to be honest about when you last had tx, but they usually ask for a six month break so you should be ok. Just play dumb and say wow was that when it was, I'm lost with dates now. I'll pm you ASAP. Merry Christmas xx

Medical Form

OK, so thinking about it, I decided that it would be a good idea to put this on the open forum, that way, anyone considering adoption can see it. I had to take a urine sample with me, so that the doc could do a ip test to check for sugar and proteins, which is standard with any medical to be honest. I was weighed, and because my bmi was hovering on 30, she measured my waist and hips. Mp blood pressure was taken, and to be honest, I think that pysically, for most people that will be it. Because of my mobility problems, she wanted to check how much movement I had in my leg and how much I could bend from side to side and backwards and forwards, but that's not the norm.

So, the questions:

Before attending the medical, we had to complete a section on the form ourselves.

2. CONSENT. I understand that the information about my medical history and present medical condition recorded on this form is required by the named agency and will be of great importance in decisions regarding the future placement of a child. I consent to a medical examination and to any further enquiry deemed necessary, and to the provision of this report to the agency. I understand that further enquiries from medical specialists may be needed, and that in future I may be asked to give specific consent to obtain further health information.
I understand that I am responsible for informing the agency if there are any significant changes to my health. Signature of applicant ..................Date...............

3. Do you consider yourself to be in good health? Yes/No
If no, please give details

Are you seeing any specialists or hospital consultants? Yes/No
If yes i)Who is it? Where? What do you see him/her for?

Have you had any fertility treatment? Yes/No
If yes, give brief details and medical reasons, and date tratment ended

Are you taking any medication on a regular basis? Yes/No
If yes, what are they?

Have you had any significant health problems in the past? Yes/No
If yes, please give details

Have you had any emotional or mental health problems such as anxiety, depression or stress? Yes/No
Include any life events which may have been a trigger.
If yes, please give details

Have you ever seen a psychiatrist/psychologist/psychotherapist/counsellor/psychiatric nurse/other health or social work professional or complementary therapist for issues related to mental health? Yes/No
If yes, please give details and dates

Have you ever attended a private health clinic or hospital? Yes/No
If yes, provide details and dates

Are you on any benefits related to sickness, incapacity or disability? Yes/No
If yes, please give details

4. Family history

Provide details about the health of your family. Does anyone have any serious health problems? Does anyone have any genetic conditions which may run in the family?

Person Age State of health if living (if known) Age at death, and cause (if known)

Father
Mother
Brothers & sisters
children (provide BMI for each child)
Other

5. Lifestyle

Describe your exercise Type How often and how long

Describe your diet and any dietry restrictions

Anything else important about your lifestyle

Did you or have you ever Yes/No Quantity - specify per day or week Duration/details/date stopped
Smoke tobacco
Drink alcohol
Use street/recreational drugs (give name)

I certify that to the best of my knowledge the above information is complete and accurate.
Signature of applicant........................Date.................................

TO BE COMPLETED BY GP:
Please review the information provided by the applicant and complete the following sections 1 to 11

Examining doctor acknowledgement
I have reviewed the information in Part B with the applicant
Comments/Recommendations
Signature of GP................................Date..............................

1. General
Are you the applicants usual GP? Completion by the usual GP is highly recommended. If not, explain current role.

How long have you known the applicant? How long have you treated the applicant?

At what time do his/her records (please consider written and computerised records) begin? Do the records appear to be continuous? If not please provide details of any breaks.

When and for what purpose did he/she last consult your practice?

Is he/she currently receiving/being prescribed any medication or other treatment?
If yes, please specify

2. Medical history
Is there any history (medical, surgical or traumatic) referable to the following systems? Please give details (including treatment, dates and duration) or write NONE

Cardiovascular system
Respiratory system (including nose and throat)
Digestive system
Urogenital system and details of any sexual health issues (for females include details of any regnancies and terminations)
Is any family limitation due to contraception, sterilisation, failure to conceive or other cause?
If 'failure to conceive', give duration and reason. Please specify investigations and treatments
Nervous system
Special Senses
Vision
Hearing
Glandular system (including diabetes, endocrine, breasts and lymph nodes)
Blood and haemotopoietic system
Musculo-skeletal system
Skin
Infectious diseases e.g. Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, HIV, TB (include test results and dates if relevant)
Immunisations e.g. Hepatitis B, TB (Hepatitis B immunisation is recommended for foster carers and intercountry adopters)

3. Mental health
Any history of psychiatric or pyschosexual disorder? (This includes anxiety, stress, persoanlity disorders and psychoses)
Any psychiatric or psychological treatment or counselling/pyscotherapy? (Specify and give dates and duration)
Any emotional.relationship problems?
If there have been psychiatric/emotional problems, how would you assess the applicant's present condition?
Long-term prognosis?

4. Other information
Any other information (hospital admissions, accidents, injuries)

8. Is any other medical opinion or investigation required? What further action have you taken?

9. Functional assessment (where relevant)
Comment on how the applicant copes physically and mentally with any chronic condition e.g. ability to work, limitation in daily activities, and how this may impact on parenting capacity.

10. Do you know anything about the applicant's lifestyle which might impair their capacity to care safely for a child or put a child's welfare at risk?

11. Comments of examining doctor
Using the applkicant's information and your own assessment, please comment on health and lifestyle issues which may impact (now or in the future) on the applicant's ability to care for a child. Note that you are not being asked to make a decision as to the suitability of the applicant, but to provide sufficient accurate and detailed information to enable the Medical Adviser to advise the agency on the health of the applicant.

12. Summary report from Agency Medical Adviser
This will be entered into Form F and read by the panel and the applicant
Summary of health and lifestyle issues with comments on the significance for adoption/fostering.

Wow!!!!! That took some time to type up!!!! I hope that helps though, and don't worry, it really is something and nothing. DH was only in with his doctor for about 10-15 minutes, as there's never anything wrong with him. I was in a little longer, but I have heaps wrong with me. I forgot about the stethoscope coming out, just to listen to my chest sounds, but all pretty standard stuff on most medicals. My best advice is to be completely honest, warts and all. DH and I were from start to finish, because at the end of the day, if they know everything, then there's no reason for them not to get the perfect match, and if they find out that you've lied about something or tried to cover up along the way, then it's not going to give them a great impression, and they do put everything into the PAR (Prospective Adopters Report) which goes to panel members, and enables them to decide if you are suitable to adopt. Everyone has things in their past which they wish they hadn't done, or they could change, but hey, nobody is perfect and the Social Workers don't expect you to be. Hell, one of our Social Workers had a mini meltdown in our house during one of our sessions, because of some personal stuff happening at home, so they fully understand. Good luck with it all,, and keep me posted xxx

Wow!

Wow - that must have taken an age to type up! Thank you so much for that - it made for interesting reading and has been really helpful.

We're currently have an IVF cycle, but we've been given a very small chance of success so we're considering both egg donation and adoption (we already have a child who is almost 2, so that is a major consideration to us and to which route we go down) - so I was having a look through all the adoption stuff to see what I could find out. This is really interesting. So - they go right back then?! Wow... I assumed that my 3 or 4 sessions with a Counsellor would have been null and void as it was, about, 10 years ago now. But looks like I better put it down...! Gosh...

Thanks again for a super-super typing effort. Really kind of you.

Sarah

P.S. Glad the site didn't crash half way through you typing it all - can you imagine!

Hi, i have just found myself strolling back on to FZ after sometime off.
We are finally getting on a new Roller coaster for us, yes the adoption one!!! demi that info on the medical is fab hun!!!! Though not sure how it will go down that iv been on anti depressents, though never for any great deal amount of time.....infact they wouldnt of even been doing their thing, as i came off them so soon due to IVF treatments starting much much much sooner than we thought they were going to be!! Plus a change at work helped no end too!!
Its still very early days for us, we are waiting for our first information session, we got on the one in March!!!!!

LYNSEY xx

After x3 ICSI X2 FETs resulting in s Apart from the last one being a faint (only lasted a day or two) I was turned down as an egg donor so we called it a day with TX WE ARE ADOPTING
APT Apr/May 13 HS June-Aug 13 PANEL Sept 13 YES!!
LINKED to 7mth old Oct 13
MATCHING PANEL JAN 14 YES. HOME with us 11th Feb 2014 (10.5mths old)Finally I AM A MUMMY

Don't worry about the anti depressants, I've been on them new than once and my SW put it down as reactive depression, which my gp backed up. They go into everything during assessment and just need to evidence that there's no long term risk there. If you need to know anything feel free to ask and good luck xx

Lynsey im so pleased your starting your new journey. and its not as horrible as it may seem altho we did a Special Guardianship assesment its practically the same as an adoption one. We were very lucky to have such a wonderfull SW and with each visit think we had about 10 in all it felt like she was coming round for a chat and a cuppa. She was from Ipwich is that where you are going for your info session? i wish you all the best for the future and will def be keeping an eye on your new lovely journey. XXX

Sorry to hear about your previous expereinces, but please dont feel that "adoption" is all that is left now. Honestly the opportunity that you can give to a child/children through adoption is a magical thing to do and I know cause I have failed IVF & egg donation and we sat down and discussed why we wanted to be a family .. this helped us come to terms with not having biological children but reasons far greater than I ever expected.

at the moment you probably feel that this journey is all that is left I would probably say that is normal feeling, but wait until you have been to an information. Every child that is in the care system and up for adoption need wonderful families to nurture and love and the journey is at sometimes a pain in the Bottom... but every minute worth seeing my daughter ahppy as a pig in wossit running around and laughing .... thats why we are doing it again .

Be kind to yourself Lynsey and good luck xxx

Beautiful Daughter and gorgeous Son through adoption, my family now complete , 2009 started our journey and complete Oct 2012 ....

Hey Siobhan - our info session is in Cambridge, only a 10minute journey! I can't wait!

Marlene - thank you for your kind words! I can't wait to getting started with it all, though very daunting!
I'm reading a great book at the moment, 'what to expect when your adopting' full of things to think about and ideas of some of the random questions u might get asked etc.

Thanks Demi, was hoping they would be able to put it down as something very miinor, and that was due to tx and a work issue, plus the fact when the doctor saw me 2wks later she couldn't believe the change, and all from being given tx dates earlier than We thought, and a temperary change in my work role was all that changed! I guess the work thing could go in ky favour too, showing they are flexible etc too!

Right, do u know if...................
You know the baby books you can buy, .......when I was born, how much I weighed, who was there, my first curl, tooth, birthday, sat, crawled, walked etc. Is there a book available for children who are adopted, in mind they are likely to he older, something like my first year of being adopted?? Do u know what I'm getting at?

LYNSEY xx

After x3 ICSI X2 FETs resulting in s Apart from the last one being a faint (only lasted a day or two) I was turned down as an egg donor so we called it a day with TX WE ARE ADOPTING
APT Apr/May 13 HS June-Aug 13 PANEL Sept 13 YES!!
LINKED to 7mth old Oct 13
MATCHING PANEL JAN 14 YES. HOME with us 11th Feb 2014 (10.5mths old)Finally I AM A MUMMY

Hi lynsey i dont know if you can go out a buy a keepsake baby book but i do know that all adopted children have a scrap book which will have pictures and details of there birth families and will have details of when they were born. Im sure this scrap book is given to the adoptive parents to show the child who they are and where theyv come from. Think its so there identity isnt lost. hope that helps. xxx

Hi Lynsey. The child will come with a life story book, which details as much as is known about them, and the foster carers update it when possible. If it is an older child, then they're encouraged to do updates too. We saw a lovely one from a five year old, where she'd done lots of drawings and written the names of the people who were important to her (with the help of her foster mum). Our SW says they encourage us to keep this going when the child is place with us, because it will all help to piece everything together when they're older, and the more they know, the better. I had a look into a book, and couldn't find anything out there, soI'm planning on buying a really nice leather bound book, which we can put photos in and write our thoughts and feelings in, something that we can run alongside the Life Story Book, that we can show our child (if it ever happens) when they're older, so they can see just how much they were wanted and how much they are loved.